Working in the tackle business for a while I've seen a lot of stuff come and go. New tackle and new twist on some old tackle are always popping up. It takes a lot for me to get excited about some of these. This summer I received some products from the guys at Marsh Works Inshore Tackle and did get excited about what they had sent.

One of the first things I liked about this company is that they make everything here in the U.S.A. Secondly it is owned and operated by people who fish. That means a lot when you know they are going to use what they make and they care enough to listen to other anglers. A lot of companies make great products but are only in it to make a buck and never use what they make. Not the case for Marsh Works.

Based out of the Gulf region of our country their line-up has everything you need for successful inshore fishing for red drum and speckled trout. Not to say that you can't and will be able to catch several other species with this collection. The first on the list has always been a personal favorite for me and that would be the spinner bait. This lure is made to with stand the punishment an angry red can dish out.

The jig head is attached to the arm with a split ring to keep from putting direct pressure on the arm, which is made a lot stronger than others on the market. Speaking of jig heads, they also make another high quality product here. With two styles, the shorty and the bull red, you will find the size and color for all applications. The finish on the jigs stands up to the abuse of oyster bars and other hard fishing hiding structure.

Now that we have the terminal tackle ready, it's time to put some good soft plastics on the business end. Marsh Works offers two sizes of paddle tail styles of baits. The Bayou Thumper comes in both 3 and 4 inch versions. The plastics used to make these are made to last a day of hard fishing. Also available are the Ripple Shad and the Killa Squilla. The Ripple shad is jerk bait with a hook pocket that is great for rigging weed less with a 3/0-4/0 EWG hook. The Killa Squilla is a shrimp imitating soft plastic. As for the name you'll have to go to the web site for that explanation.

Another signature product they offer is three styles of popping corks called the Big Poppy, the Chugger and the Slim Beauty. Popping corks are not used a lot in our region but the popping cork is a useful technique to get the fishes attention. If you have never tried one before you owe it to yourself to give one a try. Size your cork to the water conditions. On calm days I like the slim model and from there go up.

The chugger works better when the water is a little choppy. Make sure that the leader on the business end is short enough to suspend the bait in the fish's field of sight. The popping of the cork is meant to mimic fish popping on the top. So your prey is most likely going to ambush the offering from the bottom. Keep your line tight and give an occasional 2-3 rod tip pops, take in the slack and wait. Repeat this slowly until you've made it back to the boat. Fans cast and try this technique several times varying your retrieve. Be patient, it is not a cast and retrieves style of fishing, but a very effective one to get fish to bite.

Finally, another favorite lure of mine and a great go to bait is the gold spoon. With two styles the smooth and hammered finish. This is always a great search bait to help cover some water fast and locate your targeted species. I have also heard of some great freshwater catches coming on these lures. Check with your local tackle shop or visit their web site and check out all they have to offer WWW.Marsh-Works.com .
The kayak is a great platform to fish from but unlike its bigger brother the boat, storage can be an issue. Everything from tackle boxes to buckets have been and can be used to carry your tackle. The milk crate is probably one of the most common ways of storage for the kayak angler. A new twist on this is the Cratepak by Precision Pak. It is a durable mesh tackle storage system that fits over a standard milk crate.

The whole thing fits nicely over the crate with four D rings to help secure it to your kayak. It comes with several well thought and placed pouches on the outside for smaller items. The crate hull also has a three sided Velcro closure flap for tackle trays and larger items. Each one of the three color options comes with a three rod holders and stern light holder. Keeping your lose gear and tackle secure and organized is very easy now with the Cratepak. Contact your local Kayak dealer or visit www.precision-pak.com